Tried to Walk Without You, Alice
by Asian-Inkwell
Summary: Ace loved Alice, but Alice... did she really love him back? The way she looked at Blood, Ace knew in his clock-heart that she wasn't his. No matter how much it hurt, he'd somehow learn to let her go. Story idea inspired by the song "걸어본다 (Tried to Walk)" by B1A4. Slightly AU. Pairings: possible one-sided AcexAlice? and BloodxAlice and possible ending with AcexAlice.
1. Introduction

**_Disclaimer: _**_I do not own Heart no Kuni no Alice. The rights belong to Quinrose. I just own this story._

* * *

_As a rule, a role-holder will always fall in love with an outsider._

_No one ever questioned the rule._

_It was accepted without doubt._

_But it all came crashing down when a young foreigner entered Wonderland._

_Alice._

_Alice Liddell._

_The outsider changed them._

_It was almost as if she reached into them and took their clock-hearts and gave them new ones. They were still clock-hearts... but they were different._

_Was this because of their love for her?_

_Or perhaps her strange attachment to each and every one of them?_

_But what no one realized,_

_was that all their hearts belonged to Alice._

_And... _

_without her._

_The pain would never go away._

_Wonderland needed Alice._

_They couldn't survive without her._

* * *

Ace whistled softly as he trudged through the forest. He didn't care where his feet led him. He just wanted to get away from it all.

The excitement that Alice was staying... and possibly for good.

He just wanted to forget... but it just hurt too much.

He stopped whistling and sighed.

He would never be able to forget.

Wonderland would never let him.

He let out a bitter chuckle.

How things had been, how they had changed.

He couldn't erase them from his memory.

Her smile.

Her laugh.

Her frown.

Her glare.

Her cry.

Ace sighed again and ran his hand through his hair.

It hurt... But it had to be done.

Ace clenched his fists tightly.

For Alice... and for himself.

He had to let go.

No matter the pain.

He _had _to let her go.

Ace took a deep breath and continued on... away from the Clock Tower where Alice resided.

He had to learn to live without her, just like before.

One day... he'd be able to forget. And, he'd be able to walk on his own.

Without Alice.

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_Well I've been listening to my B1A4 playlist a lot lately. X3 And well Ace and B1A4 have a special connection in my mind. Heh heh. ^^;; (If you're really curious, I'll tell you. It's not really interesting but hey *shrugs* I treasure it.)

Hope you guys enjoy it! :D


	2. Chapter 1: Walking on My Own

**Chapter One: Walking on My Own**

The sun peeped out through the clouds. Its rays shone into Ace's face, blinding him momentarily. He shielded his eyes as the sun passed over him. Eh well, the weather looked promising. Perhaps he wouldn't have too much trouble collecting clocks for Julius today.

Ugh... Julius. If he went to see him, he'd most likely see Alice.

But wait! He might not even end up at the tower.

Ace sighed. But then... he'd be lost. Ever so lost, all because of Alice.

"Ace!"

The knight blinked in surprise.

Alice?

"Ace!"

The young girl ran up to the knight panting rather heavily.

"There you are!"

Ace put on a cheerful grin. "Hullo, Alice!"

"Don't 'Hullo, Alice!' me! I've been looking for you everywhere!" Alice complained as she continued to pant and huff.

"Looking for me? Awww, did you miss me that much?"

Alice rolled her eyes. "Julius was wondering where you were!"

"I've been around."

"Around? Around where?"

Ace shrugged causing Alice to huff and cross her arms.

"Seriously Ace... you've been missing for a couple of days since I've come back."

Ace shrugged again.

Alice pursed her lips slightly. "Aren't... you going to say something?"

"What do you want me to say?" Ace replied darkly.

Alice blinked in surprise. "Is something... wrong?"

The knight laughed suddenly. "Fooled you."

"Ace!" Alice scolded.

The knight merely grinned.

Alice huffed once again. "Anyways, you need to come with me to the tower."

She grabbed the knight's gloved hand. "Let's go."

Ace shook his head and pulled his hand away. "No."

Alice blinked. "What?"

"No..."

Alice gave Ace a confused look. "No?"

"Yeah..." Ace turned away from the outsider. "I'm going by myself."

"But-"

Ace smiled slightly and glanced back at Alice. "Don't make that face. I can walk on my own."

"I'm not making a face!"

"Sure you weren't." Ace turned back towards Alice and ruffled her hair.

"Ace..."

The knight waved 'good-bye' to Alice has he walked away.

Alice felt confused and a bit worried as she watched Ace go. The knight seemed lost... she could see it in his eyes. What could be bothering him? Wasn't he... happy she was back? Everyone else had been so excited that she had returned, even Julius. But Ace, he had disappeared shortly after she arrived.

What was wrong?

He seemed so different, so out of touch... so lost, like that one time.

Alice shook her head. Why was she worried about the knight? She had Blood. The outsider smiled at the thought of the Mafia Boss. Yes, there was Blood. The role-holder she had slowly fallen in love with.

She could always think about the knight later.

* * *

Ace sighed as he looked up at the Castle of Hearts. Well, it was better than the tower. At least here, he had less of a chance of bumping into Alice. Vivaldi and Peter White would keep her occupied and out of his way.

Alice... Sweet Alice, the one they all loved so dearly. Yet it hurt, it hurt so bad to love her. His clock-heart's ticking increased whenever she was around and felt crushed when she was gone.

His clock-heart... it belonged to her.

But her beating heart, it would never belong to him.

Ace sighed again as he made his way into the castle.

"Ah, Ace-sama!"

The knight put on a grin as a faceless maid approached him.

"What is it?"

"You're going the wrong way, Ace-sama."

Ace cocked his head. "What do you mean? Isn't this the hallway to my room?"

The maid shook her head and made him look around. "This is the laundry room."

Ace laughed. "Whoops... Do you mind taking me to my room?"

The maid sighed. "Yes, Ace-sama."

Ace whistled softly as the maid led him out of the laundry room and to where he belonged.

In his room.

* * *

Alice was half way to the Hatter Mansion when she remembered.

"Ooooo!" she hissed.

Ace.

She was suppose to bring him back to Julius! But instead, she had let the knight go wander away off on his own.

_"Stupid Ace..." _she thought irritably as she turned away from Blood's place.

A glint of metal as she turned made her pause.

What was that?

Oh yes... the ring.

Alice frowned slightly as she brought her right hand up to her face.

Ah. There it was, the lovely silver band that graced her ring finger.

But why was she still wearing it?

The ring... it wasn't from Blood. She should take it off.

Because... it was from Ace.

She glared at the ring and pulled it off her finger.

Ace was no longer apart of her life.

She tossed the ring into the grass. Why should she care about the silly piece of jewelry? Besides, it wasn't as if Ace would even notice that she wasn't wearing it. He never noticed her, not like the way Blood did.

Alice glanced back at the ring and sighed. She couldn't just throw it away like that... She had to tell Ace the truth, even if it hurt him. She couldn't just leave Ace like that, not knowing that their relationship was through.

She picked up the ring and held it tightly in her fist. She would tell him and never have to deal with him again.

She felt a sharp sting in her chest.

Was this the way she really wanted things to end with Ace?

* * *

Ace frowned as he stared up at the ceiling of his room.

So much for trying to get work done for Julius. But then again, with Alice running around, there was no way he'd get any work done.

Alice... she was just in the way of everything.

Ace closed his eyes. He couldn't do anything without her coming to mind somehow. She was forever seared in his memories.

They had done so much together... before she had left Wonderland. They had been so close. So very close. But had happened since then?

Ace sighed as he opened his eyes.

What had happened...

_"Tch..."_ Ace shook his head.

Blood, that's what happened. If it weren't for the Mad Hatter, perhaps Alice would still be at his side.

Ace pulled of his gloves and stared at the shiny silver ring on his finger. He rubbed the metal gently with his thumb. The coolness of the metal somehow comforted him. This ring... was his only connection to Alice now. Well, if she still wore the matching ring.

Ace clenched his fists.

If she still was wearing the ring... he might have a chance still.

A chance! A chance to have her back at his side. A chance... of not having to walk on his own anymore.

* * *

**_Author's Note:_ **Hullo! Finally was able to work on this story. ^-^ School and home duties have me busy so I didn't get much of a chance to work on this one or any of my others for that matter... oh yes and then there's been the lovely writer's block. :P It's been kinda popping up in almost all my stories. *sighs* Oh well at least it's not bothering me too much at the moment. :D

Special thanks to _Koo Kid _for acting as my beta for this chapter. :D Always appreciate his help.

**_Author's Response to Reviews:_**

**xxxXXLunaMoonXXxxx- **I love all ur Alice story's

_Aw thanks! I'm flattered. ^o^_


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